Richard Howell

Instructor/Performer / Saxophones

Accomplished international saxophonist, vocalist, composer, educator Richard Howell has explored a vast spectrum of music. His powerful, melodic saxophone playing has been heard with artists as diverse and definitive as blues/jazz/soul legends Etta James, Chaka Khan, Maurice White, Carlos Santana, Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Billy Higgins, Charlie Haden, Hilton Ruiz, Bernard Purdie, Buddy Guy, Bobby Watson, Regina Carter, Jimmy Smith, Charlie Musselwhite, Joe Louis Walker, Ledisi, Taj Mahal, Christian Scott, Azar Lawrence, and Latin/Afro/rhythmic pioneers Willie Bobo, Bill Summers and Pete Escovedo. Richard has performed at the Mali Music Conservatory with Fra Fra Sound and Toumani Diabate in Bamako, Mali and has also been a special guest of Salif Keita known as “the Golden Voice of Africa.”

“Birds Eye View,” a Gregory Dawson–Richard Howell collaboration of Modern Ballet and Jazz music performance had its debut in 2013 at the Black Choreographer Festival, and was performed “Live” by the Richard Howell Quintet (RHQ) and awarded the 2014 Isadora Duncan Award for Outstanding Achievement in music/sound/text.

As an educator and Jazz emissary Richard contributed to many Jazz education programs including the SFJazz program “Jazz In The Middle,” James Henry’s “Samba Samba Workshops,” San Francisco Symphony “Adventures In Music” and The Oakland Public Conservatory. He has found his home as an instructor with Oaktown Jazz Workshops. In addition he is the founder of the “JazzTree Education Workshop,” a successful international Jazz History Lecture Series.